A blog for The Urutsk Cycle and Related Subjects,
including the URUTSK: World of Mystery RPG.
Shipwrecked survivors of a galaxy-spanning empire (ruined when the core exploded) settle upon a wetlands world occupied by humans and other species. They then poke through ruins of their Ancient ancestors as they strive to regain space and then, starflight.

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Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Six Vrun ex-Scouts turned bandits.--Operating out of Turnem's Redoubt on the Soumel isthmus, they control travel along the land-bridge as well as the crossroads to Mellornem Tal, the largest population centre in the sedgy and reedy lakelands area atop a great heath moor. The aerospaceport site is entirely heedless of this, and would have to be persuaded $ to care $.

Holograph Projectors and Light-bending Cloaks allow the four men and two women to appear in greater numbers than actually present. The six are armed with rifles of various grades and tech levels, but each is capable of multiple shots before the former Scouts resort to short swords. Each wears a back and breast vest, and three possess dark-vision goggles.

Old Dill is the blinded 7th member of the rogue Scout group, and alone possesses the knowledge of how to overcome the trials facing would-be thieves of the hoard. He will need to be brought along, or Powers will have to be used to gain the information otherwise.

* RIDDLE: In actuality it is a keypad entry sequence that activates a blast door to open. After the door has been open for 5 Rounds, it begins to close with (BDY 25) strength.

* SEA CAVE: A partially collapsed submarine facility that is now flooded with 1/2 Msnk (less than 3'). The only portions above the waves are the loading piers of flooded and partially collapsed dry dock bays. It is atop the furthest and driest of these piers that the Hag makes her domicile in a heap of boxes and industrial containers, decorated with enticing tools and machine parts, with hints of holographic crystalline computer tech scattered about.

* HAG: The centuries old thing is mad with bitter loneliness and envy. A former lover of the Manthyqir, Tshared, he banished her from his presence but out of pitty, allowed her to guard the entrance to his lair, to receive his scraps, and to listen to Tshared's poetry and singing.

B.YXELNM/'Women Whose Faces Cause Terror', 'Hag'-(M)[4mv]Menace Rating: 54 | 4FD+4 | 102DP | +1Def | -3 ARM | ATK: Sword | ATK: Bite @ G | ATK: Fists @ B* Special Abilities: Genius, Native Spells (15 Pt. Effects/3rd Level Spells)Description: Hags come in a variety of loathsome forms, although early life appears normal. Once the Hag Beetle matures within the host-daughter, the resultant sybiote of the two creatures comes into existence. In time, beetles eat their way out of the host daughter. Once complete, only her Undead skeleton and connective tissues remain, animated by the outer covering of the beetles. Invariably evil towards humanity and other human-framed creatures (Humanoids and such Monstrous Beings as well), they take perverse delight in generating fear, the Hag is a hungry predator. The Native Spells of the Hag Clans are hereditary, although darker secrets of blood alchemy can bypass this.

If slain, her treasures include the tools and parts before mentioned (3d6^2 [9-324] Count-worth), 3 complete sets of Late Summer Era Field Plate in the Guild Combine style of the period (800 Ct each), and a dozen polearms, swords, and shields from that period until the last century (totalling 3d6x36 Ct).

Once the airlock door is found and opened, a ladder down opens into a maintenance corridor with heavy pipes painted red and showing no wear over the unknown centuries. In general, the underwater facility is in remarkably well-preserved condition, and largely devoid of any scattered treasures.

In an open area with four partial walls of lockers and a circle of benches in the centre, opposition to the Party's advance is met in the form of additional toughs in Tshared's employ.A few will sport minor cybernetic gear, but these are merely replacement parts, and not much better (if at all) than the meat part lost.These fighters (Human and Humanoid, male and female) are rather taken with their leader and don't take kindly to intruders. They are hard and merciless, but are not robots of Tshared, and can possibly be convinced or tempted away with the right offer well presented, as well as an immediate gear upgrade (better weapons and armour, etc.)

If things begin to go badly for them, Tshared will literally fly into combat with the chiefest of offenders and kill them as quickly as possible, for he cares for his wards.

Tshared the Manthyqir-(VL)[5mv Ground, 15mv Air]Menace Rating: 117 | 9FD+9 | 300DP | +1Def | -3ARM | ATK: Bite @ G | ATK: Rake @ B | ATK: Quill @ V* Special Abilities: Flight, Genius, Ranged Attack (Quills as Coil Pistol), Tech SavvyDescription: A wagon-sized leonine figure with a humanish face, obvious bat-like wings, and a great fleshy pod at the end of its python-like tail. It is from this bio-factory that the glassy quills are launched in its air skirmishes. Wise enough after these many decades to avoid Close Combat, Tshared is nevertheless a powerful fighter willing to finish the fight once started. His exceptional reasoning, senses, and memory should all play towards a trap-laden encounter where rushing to attack him will only bring about the doom of the fools. Tshared will attempt to parley with his attackers and offer them his protection in exchange for loyalty. He is honourable.

If given the opportunity to show his hospitality, he will treat those he senses are truthful in their allegiance to him to the best he has, as his army enjoy. Those, however who play him false, Tshared will kill and devour before the others as a lesson.

It is unlikely the adventure will end with the PCs joining up, so, in the eventuality that combat ensues anew, and Tsared is either slain or more likely, driven off, the hoard of treasure includes:

* A green-gilt sword:: Legend Lore: A century or more ago, was held by knight with lady fair. The knight fell in battle with a pinioned, quilled beast not well depicted in the flashbacks, and lost in battle, the sword came to rest within the cave beneath.

* five small sacks, and two more large of gold* copper there is plenty* silver coins whose mint, unknown, shows the figure of a winged thing with scorpion tail in the foreground, and a rocket in the background.